Dr. M.K. (Khal) El-Yousef recognized the complexity of issues like addictions and eating disorders when he founded Fairwinds Treatment Center in 1989. Dr. El-Yousef has pioneered the dual diagnosis method of treatment, in which he addresses both the physical and behavioral repercussions of an eating disorder as well as the underlying mental, psychological and emotional pain at the root of the issue. Led by renowned researcher, educator and physician Dr. Pauline Powers, Fairwinds Treatment Center's eating disorder specialists provide our patients with both clinical treatment and therapeutic counseling to heal both their inner and outer pain.
Here at Fairwinds we see firsthand how many eating disorder sufferers engage in risky habits and behaviors when they are in the grip of their disease, often beyond simply controlling their food intake. For example, an Australian researcher at Deakin University has recently reported a concerning new trend among women with eating disorders, which he discovered during his clinical work as a psychologist. To test his theory, he gathered a test group of 97 women suffering from eating disorders. He found that about one-third of them were consistently replacing meals with energy drinks.
"We know people with eating disorders do abuse caffeine, so this provides a new avenue for them to use energy drinks as a way of replacing meals and creating a sense of fullness," he told ABC. "Because they're physically compromised, I think that's raised a real concern about issues around energy drink abuse. It adds another risk factor to their physical health."
Energy drinks do not provide the necessary nutrients for survival and may also effect cardiac health, which means these women could be causing lasting damage to their bodies.
If someone you love needs treatment for anorexia or bulimia, contact Fairwinds Treatment Center. Individuals with eating disorders require full professional support and care in order to make a healthy recovery and reenter the world with strong mind, body and spirit. Dr. El-Yousef and Dr. Powers want to help your loved one start their journey towards healing so they can return to leading the life they love.
